PBDG at the Kickback Pinball Cafe

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Anna Newman

During my visit to the Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival for a screening of Pinball Donut Girl, I got to visit the newly opened Kickback PInball Cafe.

It’s in the Lawrenceville neighborhood in Pittsburgh, which seems like a pretty cool neighborhood, right by Arsenal Bowl.

The space is wonderful: giant murals with space girls and robots, including a light up floor mural that is like walking onto a playfield, tables that look like pop bumpers, and lots of games, including 3 customs!

Brian Holderman did all the art. Brian is also the graphic artist on Wade Krause: Pinball Artist and designed the DVD artwork for PBDG/WK:PA.

Two of the cafe’s custom games I had seen before at the PAPA warehouse: Luther’s Vendetta (Brian Holderman) and Freak Out (Mike Budai).

I hadn’t seen Silver Bullet in person yet. Super cool. I even bought a tee-shirt with the backglass detail.

Lots of folks visted the cafe, hung out, played the games and had (good) coffee and food. I had a great salad. I know, I know! but I’m from California, ok? and I can’t help myself. Plus I had to balance some huge meatball hoagies, etc.

So make your way to Pittsburgh and check out Kickback and Brian’s art — he has murals around town too. An arcade with more games is opening upstairs at Kickback soon.

And catch the Andy Warhol Museum while you are in town — it’s great. This was my second time and there was a ton new to see. Lurve that place.

PS: Brian and I are talking about a limited run print of the DVD art for Wade Krause: Pinball Artist. I’ll keep you posted about that project….

Everyone is on the Nice List at PBDG!

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Anna Newman

Happy Holidays! If you donated at the $50 or more level, there is an original limited edition Pinball Donut Girl poster making its way toward you. The first batch went out this weekend, so watch for Santa in the guise of a mailman, delivering at your door.

I’m hoping to start getting letters in my mailbox too, letters from festivals saying we have been accepted. If any of you have a film festival in your area, especially one that you regularly attend and know people at, mail me and I’ll see if I can submit to them so there is a screening in your area.

In the meantime, our sound editor Josh Wolfer of Austin is working on the director’s cut so I can wrap up the DVD and get that out to you in early spring as well.

Here is more Christmas Cheer in the form of drive through donuts, courtesy of Mark Czarnowski. PBDG’s most reliable man in the field, Mark has personally tested and approved the Donuts at this shop in Harvard, IL (home of Jersey Jack’s midwest headquarters!).

Harvard Donut photos by Mark Czarnowski

PS: if you mailing address has changed since you donated, and I don’t already know you have moved, please send me your new address so your poster arrives correctly.

Best 5 Days of September

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Anna Newman

A few photos from the Pacific Pinball Expo, definitely my favorite five days of September!

Charlie Kuttner and I filmed the whole load in, an amazing 2 day transformation of an empty room to a pinball wonderland, and then of course I got to meet and talk to a lot of you, play pinball, see cast and crew members, eat donuts, and screen my films. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the show and to the amazing volunteers of the Pacific Pinball Museum who make the magic happen!